A Bit Much

I am currently at a major university studying psychology, working on my Ph.D. I was rather alarmed at the rather blatant misrepresentation of facts in the article "Background Checks for House Guests" (issue of July 23).

The idea that pedophiles can be cured is a rather gross exaggeration of medical fact. The true numbers are closer to 7 percent who never offend again. This leaves 93 percent who not only reoffend once but seven to 12 separate -- meaning different victims per offense -- times.

Those who never reoffend -- the 7 percent -- still have sexual fantasies about children. This is not personal bias but medical fact, backed by hundreds of studies that I am aware of. Perhaps even thousands more that I am not.

But the writer, Margo Pierce, made a rather uneducated stance on the issue, which has led me to permanently stop reading your paper. It's a sad thing to have to say.

Taking the stance that sexual predators are pigeonholed because of a minority of reoffenders is incredibly misleading, especially when a source is not cited for the claim.

Saying they're not all bad -- if that were true, then they wouldn't be on the list to begin with.-- C.L. Kraftkraftce@gmail.com

Editor's Note: The story "Background Checks for House Guests" does not mention anything about rehabilitating or "curing" pedophiles.

Worst Week a Little Corny
I couldn't help but notice your Worst Week Ever! information from the issue of June 19, albeit a little late. As communications director for the Ohio Corn Growers Association, I can assure you that people will never eat the majority of corn grown in Ohio.

It's called No. 2 Yellow Dent Corn, known as field corn, and, if you feel it, it's as hard as a rock -- it's called dent because it looks like something large took a bite out of it. It is a far cry away from sweet corn. This field corn is ground up with other nutrients to create animal feed.

I can also assure you that this year's crop, used mostly to feed livestock and used for exports, is right on track, with the second-highest harvest expected since 1949. There is no shortage of food -- especially food used for fuel, which is a silly statement -- in the U.S., and the stories you see in poor nations are because of a booming world population, supply and demand and droughts in Australia, all of which lead to less rice and wheat. Corn is not served in those developing countries.

Corn-based ethanol is already in 10 percent of our fuel supply. It replaces the carcinogen MTBE to help your engine burn cleaner. While it's not the total answer to all of our energy needs, it is here now and always will be.

Money used to purchase ethanol blends stays at home instead of heading to Venezuela to Hugo Chavez and second to the already-rich Middle East.-- Natalie LehnerOhio Corn Growers Association